Archives

Monday 5 March 2012

The Treasurer Wayne Swan is continuing to pick a fight with Australia's billionaire miners, accusing them of being wildly irresponsible and bankrolling ferocious attacks against Government policies such as the mining tax and pricing carbon. More

Wayne Swan's attack on mining magnates raises a broader question - is income inequality in Australia growing? According to the Bureau of Statistics Household Income Survey, the answer is yes. The latest survey shows the wealthiest 20 per cent of households account for more than 60 per cent of wealth, while the bottom 20 per cent own just 1 per cent of the nation's household wealth. More

Authorities are warning communities across eastern Australia to prepare for more flooding. Heavy rain and flash floods have already claimed a man's life in south-east Queensland. In the city of Wagga Wagga and across the Riverina, several thousand people have been evacuated from their homes. More

Many farmers are counting the economic cost of lost crops and farm infrastructure thanks to the floods Others on the land, though, are looking ahead to what could be a bumper year. The natural environment is benefitting too from the vast quantity of water sweeping through the Murray-Darling system. More

Many farmers are counting the economic cost of lost crops and farm infrastructure thanks to the floods Others on the land, though, are looking ahead to what could be a bumper year. The natural environment is benefitting too from the vast quantity of water sweeping through the Murray-Darling system. More

Many farmers are counting the economic cost of lost crops and farm infrastructure thanks to the floods Others on the land, though, are looking ahead to what could be a bumper year. The natural environment is benefitting too from the vast quantity of water sweeping through the Murray-Darling system. More

The peak body representing ethnic communities is claiming a win in its campaign to revive a federal Ministry of Multicultural Affairs. Senator Kate Lundy was sworn in as the Minister today. But analysts warn that the Ministry will need resources if it's to be anything more than a token gesture. More

The NSW Government is grappling with a crisis involving the Star casino. The Premier's communications director has been stood down because emails and texts between him and his partner were leaked. More

Three thousand delegates gathered for the world's largest parliament today with the opening session of China's national people's congress. This is the last year in office for the country's current leaders. Premier Wen Jiabao said the country needs to boost local demand to make up for lost export revenue, but this can be done in an environmentally friendly way. More

Less than half the drug treatment regimens used in one of Australia's leading cancer centres aren't on the Government's list of subsidised medicines, the PBS, meaning they have to be paid for by the hospital or the patients themselves. This is despite the use of the drugs being supported by established treatment guidelines and research. More

A 10-week class action against shopping centre owner and funds manager Centro began in the Federal Court in Melbourne Today. Lawyers for the litigants say Centro engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct by failing to reveal the true state of its debt, which later resulted in a share price collapse. More

Figures today show the services sectors contracted in February by the most amount since July 2009. It seems the spoils of the money boom are not filtering through to the rest of the economy. Economists also warn the export sector is unlikely to show much growth this year. It's all consistent with figures from the ABS showing total company operating profits fell 6.5 per cent in the fourth quarter. More